Nonfatal cock fighting

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for nonfatal fighting of game fowl such as cocks, characterized by replacing spurs, which are frequently fatal, with spur substitutes and connecting the spur substitutes into a suitable circuit to energize an apprising means when one cock makes a scoring contact with the body of his opponent with his spur substitute. Several specific embodiments are described, including the use of miniaturized batteries and transmitters that may be carried by each cock, and including a central scoring means that is responsive to the respective frequencies of the transmitter serving as the apprising means. The spur substitutes are attached to the legs of a cock by a shank encircling band of substantially uniform lateral cross section and of sufficient dimension to necessarily encircle and enclose at least a portion of the natural spur area.

United States Patent Bouldin [451 Nov. 13, 1973 NONFATAL COCK FIGHTING[76] Inventor: Thurman N. Bouldin, Route 1 Baird, Tex. 79504 [22] Filed:Nov. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 309,724

Related 1.1.8. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No.104,259, Jan. 6,

1971, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 273/] E, 2.73/1 F [51] Int. Cl A0lk 29/00 [58] Field ofSearch 273/1 E, 1 F

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,206,697 7/1940 Harter273/1 F 2,294,026 8/1942 Tuscan.. 273/1 F 2,916,287 12/1959 Davey 293/1F 2,998,974 9/1961 Stafford. 273/1 F X 3,529,822 9/1970 Rubin 273/1 FFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 635,176 12/1927 France 273/1 F 286,5342/1953 Switzerland 273/1 F OTHER PUBLICATIONS Encyclopedia of RuralSports, Delabe're P. Blaine, 1852, pages 1209-1215.

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Paul E. ShapiroAttorneyWm. T. Wofford et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Method and apparatus for nonfatal fighting of game fowlsuch as cocks, characterized by replacing spurs, which are frequentlyfatal, with spur substitutes and connecting the spur substitutes into asuitable circuit to energize an apprising means when one cock makes ascoring contact with the body of his opponent with his spur substitute.Several specific embodiments are described, including the use ofminiaturized batteries and transmitters that may be carried by eachcock, and including a central scoring means that is responsive to therespective frequencies of the transmitter serving as the apprisingmeans. The spur substitutes are attached to the legs of a cock by ashank encircling band of substantially uniform lateral cross section andof sufficient dimension to necessarily encircle and enclose at least aportion of the natural spur area.

21 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED "UV 1 3 I975 SHEET 1 CF 2 pendingapplication Ser. No. 104,259, filed Jan. 6, 1971 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to the fighting of game fowl; and, more particularly, to methodand apparatus for determining the winner in a match between game fowlwithout a fatality.

2. Description of the Prior Art The fighting of game fowl, or cocks, hasbeen a sport of long standing. Because the sport has been brutalheretofore and frequently resulted in the maiming or killing of one ofthe cocks, statutes have been enacted to prevent or control the sport ofcock fighting in most states in the United States. Cock fighting isstill legally practiced in its brutal form in many places in the world.As has been noted in prominent magazines, however, the sport of cockfighting is an intriguing one and should be interesting for spectatorsif the brutality were eliminated.

Insofar as I am aware, there has been no protective harness and spursubstitutes, such as are employed in my invention, for enabling cockfighting to take place with assurance that there will not be a fatalityof one of the adversaries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an artists conception ofcocks fighting and employing one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two adversary cocks facing each otherand carrying respective spur substitutes, protective scoring plates,transmitters, and batteries in accordance with an embodiment of thisinvention.

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 2. 7

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a scoring plate employed in theembodiment of FIG 3. p

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevationalview, partly schematic, illustratingthe spur substitute means and the scoring plate means in accordance withanother embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic diagram in conjunction with a partialside elevational view illustrating still another'embodiment of thisinvention.

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view, employing an electricalschematic diagram, in accordance with still another embodiment of thisinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS ized by the use of spur substitutesthat will effect scoring upon contact'of the spur substitutes with thebody of an adversary, or opponent; thereby enabling determining thewinner without the death of either game fowl.

Referring to FIG. 1, cocks 11 and 13 are engaged in a protruding spursubstitute means 17 thereon. The leg band 15 may comprise any suitablestructure; from elaborate leather or plastic gloves fastened about theshank as by snaps or zipper; to metallic or plastic rings. However, itis to be understood that the leg band shall be of substantially uniformlateral cross section and of sufficient dimension to necessarilyencircle and enclose at least a portion of the natural spur area. Eachspur substitute means has at least a portion of a means for effectingelectrical continuity in response to contact of the spur substitutemeans with the opponent. For example, cock 11 carries a battery 19serving as a power source and a transmitter 21 serving as an apprisingmeans. Other forms of apprising means such as lights may be employed, aslong as the apprising'means effect an audio or visual signal to apprisespectators of a score by a cook. The score may be effected by contact ofthe protruding spur substitute means with a body of the opponent. Cock13, similarly, carries a battery andtransmitter for apprising thespectators of his scoring on cock 11, although the battery andtransmitter are hidden by feathers as illustrated. Suitable means suchas bands 22 are employed to fasten the batteries and transmitters to therespective cocks.

To help keep score, a central scoring means 23 may be employed. Thecentral scoring means 23 may have respective audio or visual effectssuch as a buzzer or lights 25 to apprise the spectators of the cockscoring on his opponent. The central scoring means 23 has a transducingmeans for energizing the buzzer or lights in response to a signal fromthe respective apprising means. As illustrated, the central scoringmeans has re-' ceivers that are responsive to respective transmitters ofthe respective cocks. Moreover, the central scoring means may haveappropriate counters; such as electromechanically actuated counters orpurely electronic counters like ring counters; to keep track of thescore of the respective adversaries.

Each respective cock may employ a pair of switch means 27, FIG. 7, ineach of the spursubstitute means 17. The switch means 27 may beconnected with a single battery and transmitter carried by the cock,illustrated by: dashed lines :29 and 31 of FIG. 7. Alternatively, aplurality of batteries and transmitters 1 9 and 21 may be connectedwithrespective switch means 27 in order to discriminate whether theright leg or the left leg of the cock made the score. Suchdiscrimination is helpful in delineating and matching right legged cocksversus left legged cocks, or such other fine points in the sport of cockfighting.

In any event, the switch means 27 are operationally closed in responseto contact of a respective 'spur substitute' means with the body of anopponent. When closed, as can be seenfrom FIG. 7, a series electricalcircuit is completed from the battery 19. to the transmitter 21.Accordingly, a transmission is effected. The respective circuit in thecentral scoring means 23, if it is employed. is adjusted in frequency tobe responsive to the respective transmitter 21 from the respective cocksto register a scorefor' the cock scoring on the a nonfatal fight inaccordance with this invention. Each of the cocks have had their spurs,which can kill or maim their opponent, removed and spur substitute meansemplaced on each leg. Specifically, each cock has a shank engagingmeans, such as leg band 15, with body of his opponent. Any type ofswitch means that is closed in response to contact with the body of anopponent may be employed. A wide variety of such spring mounted switchmeans are available. An arrangement similar to that illustrated in FIG.4 can be employed. Ordinarily, the switch means per se, is enclosedwithin a suitable flexible housing such as a synthetic rubber cover forprotection.

The simple embodiment illustrated schematically in FIG. 7 and describedhereinbefore is advantageous in its simplicity but has the disadvantagethat this scoring is indiscriminate and a cock can register a score onan adversary even though he may contact the leg, wing, or other nonvitalpart of the body of his adversary.

A greater sport may be realized if scoring plates are employed on theopponents, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 the cocks are equippedwith respective first and second sets of harness having a plurality oflightweight scoring plates that are interconnected and have respectivemeans for emplacing them on the respective areas of a respective cock.Each of the scoring plates are designed for a respective scoring area onthe cock; for example, some may be shaped to fit the cocks head whileothers are larger for being emplaced on the breast. The cocks have asecond and first pair of shank engaging means having a protruding spursubstitute means. Each spur substitute means has at least a portion of ameans for effecting, in conjunction with the scoring plates, a closingof a switch means that effects electrical continuity in response tocontact of the spur substitute means with the scoring plate. The cockshave first and second apprising means that are serially connected with apower source and with the respective switch means, the closing of whichwas effected by the respective scoring plates and the opponents spursubstitute means so as to apprise spectators of a contact of a cock'sspur substitute means with a scoring plate of his opponent.

Specifically, the cocks 11 and 13 have leg bands 15 with the protrudingspur substitute means 17 and have a transmitter 21 as described inconnection with the cocks of FIG. 1. In addition, each of the cocks hasa set of harness comprising a plurality of scoring plates 33 that aredisposedover scoring areas. The plurality of lightweight scoring plates33 are interconnected. They have means such as bands or strings foremplacing them on the respective scoring areas of the cock.

Several embodiments of1this invention may be employed. For example, asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the respective scoring plates 33has a switch means 35 that completes a-series circuit connecting battery19 with transmitter 21. Referring to FIG. 4, the switch means 35comprises a plurality of electrical contacts 37 and 39 that are exposedand protrude above a base plate 41. A conductive outer plate 43 isbiased away from base plate 41 and contacts 37 and 39 by springs 45. Thesprings 45 are weak, however, so that outer conductive plate 43 can bereadily depressed inwardly toward the electrical contacts 37 and 39 viacontact with the opponents spur substitute means 17, as in a fight.Thus, it can be seen that the switch meand 35 is effectively closed whenthe conductive outer plate 43 contacts the electrical contacts 37 and39. Consequently, the transmitter 21 is energized to emit a suitablesignal. The signal may be an audio signal, thefrequency of whichindicates to the spectators which cock scored, or it may be a signalthat is received by the central scoring means 23, FIG. 1, forregistration of a score, or both. I

In operation, the cocks l1 and 13 fight and attempt to close one of theplurality of switch means 35 in the plurality of scoring plates 33carried by the opponent. When a protruding spur substitute means 17depresses the conductive outer plate 43 of a scoring plate 33 of anopponent, the apprising means such as transmitter 21 is energized.Consequently, scoring of the respective cocks can be kept to determinethe winner without a fatality.

Referring to FIG. 5 for another embodiment, the scoring plates 49therein need not be electrically connected with each other, but areconductive and are disposed on scoring areas of a cock, as describedhereinbefore. Each leg band 15 has a protruding spur substitute means 17that has a pair of exposed electrical contacts 51 and 53 therein. Thepair of exposed electrical contacts are serially connected with thetransmitter 21 and battery 19, whether only one set is employed orwhether two sets are employed as illustrated, so as to energize thetransmitter 21 serving as the apprising means when the electricalcontacts come into contact with a conductor. Since, as indicated, thescoring plates 49 are electrically conductive, when the protruding spursubstitute means 17 emplaces the exposed electrical contacts 51 and 53into contact with a scoring plate 49, a respective transmitter 21 isenergized. Consequently, the spectators are apprised of a score by themeans previously described. A central scoring means 23 is employed, ifdesired.

Referring to FIG. 6, the scoring plates 57 are electrically conductiveand are electrically serially connected together and with one side ofthe serially connected battery 19 and transmitter 21. The other side ofthe serially connected battery 19 and the transmitter 21 is connectedwith an electrical common, or ground, as by a trailing conductor means59. Each leg band 15 of the opponent cock has a protruding spursubstitute means 17 having a single exposed electrical contact means 61.The contact means 61 is also serially connected with electrical commonor ground via trailing conductor means 63. The electrical common will bethe arena in which the cocks will fight. Ordinarily, the arenas areground, or dirt. To insure electrical conductivity, the dirt may besprinkled with a conductive liquid such as a mildly saline solution.

In operation, a cock such as cook 11 may strike the conductive plate 57of his opponent with hisown exposed contact means 6l'to complete anelectrical circuit and energize the-transmitter 21' to score on hisopponent. I

It will be readily apparent, as described hereinbefore, that a singlebattery 19 and transmitter 21 may be employed. Moreover, the seriallyconnected battery 19 and transmitter 21 may be serially connected at oneside with the exposed contact means in the spur substitute means on agiven cock and have the other side of the serially connected battery andtransmitter means connected with the electrical common, or ground; whilethe opponent will have only the scoring plates serially connected withground.

Several embodiments have been specifically illustrated and describedherein. The embodiment chosen will depend upon whether scoring is to beindiscriminate or a score is to be registered upon the contact withpredetermined scoring areas. Other embodiments will doubtless occur toone skilled in the art after I have described my invention. What issignificant is that the often fatal spurs, or portions thereof areexcised; and spur substitute means that aie nonfatal are employed toregister a score in a nonfatal fight between game cocks. For example,cutting off a sharp tip portion of a cocks spur and using the non-lethalremainder as a spur substitute means is deemed within the scope of thisinvention; particularly, in the embodiment wherein the scoring platesembody a complete switch means, except for the protruding portion of thespur substitute means.

If desired, more elaborate electrical and electronic circuitry andcomponents may be employed to effect the desired results. For example,holding relays and similar well known apparatus may be employed toeffect an apprisal of sufficient duration to register with thespectators and with a central scoring means. Such additional apparata,or equipment, are well known; are not, per se, a part of this invention;and need not be described in detail herein.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure is made onlyby way 'of example and that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for nonfatal cock fighting comprising two sets, each setincluding:

a. a diminutive power source having means for being fastened to a cock;

b. apprising means for effecting an apprisal of a score seriallyconnected with said power source and having means for being fastened tosaidcock; and

c. a plurality of shank engaging means for-engaging both legs of saidcock; each shank engaging means having means for being fastened to arespective leg and including a shank encircling band of substantiallyuniform lateral cross section and of sufficient dimension to necessarilyencircle and enclose at least a portion of the natural spur area, eachshank engaging means having a switch means; said switch means being inthe form of a spur substitute and operationally closing in response tocontact with a body of an opponent; said switch means being seriallyconnected with said power source and said apprising means for energizingsaid apprising means in response to said contact with said body of saidopponent.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are two shank engaging meansand two switch means, respectively, and said switch means are connectedin parallel with a single said power source and said apprising means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are two circuits, eachcomprising said power source, said serially connected apprising means,and said serially connected switch means for discriminating whether theright or left leg scored on the opponent.

4. Apparatus for nonfatal cock fighting comprising:

a. first and second sets of harness, each set. having a plurality oflightweight scoring plates that are interconnected and have respectivemeans for emplacing them on respective areas of a respective cock, eachsaid scoring plate being designed for a respective scoring area on thecock;

a second and first pair of shank engaging means for engaging the legs ofa respective cock, each shank engaging means having means for beingfastened to a respective leg and including a shank encircling band ofsubstantially uniform lateral cross section and of sufficient dimensionto necessarily encircle and enclose at least a portion of the naturalspur area, and having a spur substitute means, each said spur substitutemeans having at least a portion of a means for effecting, in conjunctionwith said scoring plates, a switch means that will effect electricalcontinuity in response to contact of said spur substitute means with oneof said scoring plates; c. a power source; and

a first and second apprising means for effecting an apprisal of a score;said apprising means being serially connected with said power source viarespective said switch means effected by respective scoring plates andthe opponents spur substitute means so as to apprise of a contact of acocks spur substitute means with a scoring plate of his opponent suchthat a cock fight may be effected and the winner determined without afatality. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said scoring plate iselectrically serially connected with said power source and saidapprising means and contains a switch means that is closed upon impactby a spur substitute means of an opponent.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said spur substitute meanscomprise a pair of exposed contact means, one contact means beingserially connected with said power source and one contact means beingserially connected with said apprising means so that when said contactmeans come in contact with an electrical conductor said apprising meansis energized; and wherein said scoring plates are electrical conductorsso as to complete the circuit when contacted by said contact means insaid. spur substitute means.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said spur substitute means ofone cock contains an exposed electrical contact means that is seriallyconnected with one side of said serially connected power source andapprising means and each said scoring plate of the opponents set ofharness is electrically conductive and is serially connected with theother side of said serially connected power source and apprising meansso that said apprising means is energized when said exposed electricalcontact means of said one cockcontacts an electrically conductive platenieans of his opponent.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein .said power source and said.apprising means are diminutive and are carried by each said cock.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source and saidapprisingmeans are serially connected with electrically conductive saidscoring plates as a first portion of a switch means in the set ofharness for said cock and with an electrically conductive second portionof a switch means in the opponents spur substitute means for energizingsaid apprising means in response to contact of said scoring plates bythe opponents spur substitute means.

; 10. The apparatus of claim. 9 wherein said scoring plates areconnected with only one side of said serially one spur substitute meansin said shank engaging means carried by said cock.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said power source and saidapprising means are serially connected with a plurality of exposedcontact means in both spur substitute means in said shank engaging meanscarried by said cock.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source and saidapprising means have one side serially connected with an exposed contactmeans in at least one spur substitute means in said shank engaging meanscarried by said cock and the other side connected with an electricalcommon by a trailing conductor means; and wherein said scoring plates ofthe opponents set of harness are electrically conductive and areelectrically connected with said electrical common by a trailingconductor means.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each said scoring plate iselectrically serially connected to said power source and said apprisingmeans and contains a switch means that is closed to complete anelectrical circuit including said serially connected power source andapprising means upon impact by a spur substitute means of an opponent.

15. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said apprising means comprises acompact transmitter.

16. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said power source comprises abattery.

17. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a central scoring means is providedfor registering respective scores; said central scoring means havingmeans that are responsive to said first and second apprising means so asto discriminate which cock scored on the other.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said apprising means comprises apair of transmitters having different frequencies and wherein saidcentral scoring means includes a pair of receivers that are responsiveto respective said frequencies.

19. A method of cock fighting comprising:

a. removing the spurs on a pair of game cocks and attaching to both therespective legs thereof respective spur substitutes having at least aprotrusion portion of a switch means for effecting a continuous circuitbetween a power source and an apprising means in response to contactwith the body of an opponent;

b. providing each cock with respective power sources and apprisingmeans; electrically serially connecting said respective power sourcesand apprising means via a switch means that effects electricalconnection in response to contact of said protrusion means in said spursubstitute means with the body of said opponent; and

c. scoring said respective cocks by registering the respective outputsfrom said respective apprising means such that a nonfatal cock fight iseffected.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said scoring is effected by a centralscoring means that is responsive to each respective apprising means.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said apprising means comprisestransmitters of respective frequencies and said central scoring meanshas at least two receiving means that are responsive to respective saidtransmitters such that the registration of said outputs is effected byelectromagnetic energy transmission.

1. Apparatus for nonfatal cock fighting comprising two sets, each setincluding: a. a diminutive power source having means for being fastenedto a cock; b. apprising means for effecting an apprisal of a scoreserially connected with said power source and having means for beingfastened to said cock; and c. a plurality of shank engaging means forengaging both legs of said cock; each shank engaging means having meansfor being fastened to a respective leg and including a shank encirclingband of substantially uniform lateral cross section and of sufficientdimension to necessarily encircle and enclose at least a portion of thenatural spur area, each shank engaging means having a switch means; saidswitch means being in the form of a spur substitute and operationallyclosing in response to contact with a body of an opponent; said switchmeans being serially connected with said power source and said apprisingmeans for energizing said apprising means in response to said contactwith said body of said opponent.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthere are two shank engaging means and two switch means, respectively,and said switch means are connected in parallel with a single said powersource and said apprising means.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthere are two circuits, each comprising said power source, said seriallyconnected apprising means, and said serially connected switch means fordiscriminating whether the right or left leg scored on the opponent. 4.Apparatus for nonfatal cock fighting comprising: a. first and secondsets of harness, each set having a plurality of lightweight scoringplates that are interconnected and have respective means for emplacingthem on respective areas of a respective cock, each said scoring platebeing designed for a respective scoring area on the cock; b. a secondand first pair of shank engaging means for engaging the legs of arespective cock, each shank engaging means having means for beingfastened to a respective leg and including a shank encircling band ofsubstantially uniform lateral cross section and of sufficient dimensionto necessarily encircle and enclose at least a portion of the naturalspur area, and having a spur substitute means, each said spur substitutemeans having at least a portion of a means for effecting, in conjunctionwith said scoring plates, a switch means that will effect electricalcontinuity in response to contact of said spur substitute means with oneof said scoring plates; c. a power source; and d. a first and secondapprising means for effecting an apprisal of a score; said apprisingmeans being serially connected with said power source via respectivesaid switch means effected by respective scoring plates and theopponent''s spur substitute means so as to apprise of a contact of acock''s spur substitute means with a scoring plate of his opponent suchthat a cock fight may be effected and the winner determined without afatality.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said scoring plate iselectrically serially connected with said power source and saidapprising means and contains a switch means that is closed upon impactby a spur substitute means of an opponent.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4wherein each said spur substitute means comprise a pair of exposedcontact means, one contact means being serially connected with saidpower source and one contact means being serially connected with saidapprising means so that when said contact means come in contact with anelectrical conductor said apprising means is energized; and wherein saidscoring plates are electrical conductors so as to complete the circuitwhen contacted by said contact means in said spur substitute means. 7.The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said spur subsTitute means of onecock contains an exposed electrical contact means that is seriallyconnected with one side of said serially connected power source andapprising means and each said scoring plate of the opponent''s set ofharness is electrically conductive and is serially connected with theother side of said serially connected power source and apprising meansso that said apprising means is energized when said exposed electricalcontact means of said one cock contacts an electrically conductive platemeans of his opponent.
 8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said powersource and said apprising means are diminutive and are carried by eachsaid cock.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source andsaid apprising means are serially connected with electrically conductivesaid scoring plates as a first portion of a switch means in the set ofharness for said cock and with an electrically conductive second portionof a switch means in the opponent''s spur substitute means forenergizing said apprising means in response to contact of said scoringplates by the opponent''s spur substitute means.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 9 wherein said scoring plates are connected with only one side ofsaid serially connected power source and said apprising means and theother side of said serially connected power source and apprising meansis connected with an electrical common by a trailing conductor means;and wherein said spur substitute means of the opponent has an exposedelectrical contact means that is connected with an electrical common bya trailing conductor means.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein saidpower source and said apprising means are serially connected with aplurality of exposed contact means in at least one spur substitute meansin said shank engaging means carried by said cock.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11 wherein said power source and said apprising means are seriallyconnected with a plurality of exposed contact means in both spursubstitute means in said shank engaging means carried by said cock. 13.The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source and said apprisingmeans have one side serially connected with an exposed contact means inat least one spur substitute means in said shank engaging means carriedby said cock and the other side connected with an electrical common by atrailing conductor means; and wherein said scoring plates of theopponent''s set of harness are electrically conductive and areelectrically connected with said electrical common by a trailingconductor means.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each said scoringplate is electrically serially connected to said power source and saidapprising means and contains a switch means that is closed to completean electrical circuit including said serially connected power source andapprising means upon impact by a spur substitute means of an opponent.15. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said apprising means comprises acompact transmitter.
 16. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said powersource comprises a battery.
 17. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein acentral scoring means is provided for registering respective scores;said central scoring means having means that are responsive to saidfirst and second apprising means so as to discriminate which cock scoredon the other.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said apprising meanscomprises a pair of transmitters having different frequencies andwherein said central scoring means includes a pair of receivers that areresponsive to respective said frequencies.
 19. A method of cock fightingcomprising: a. removing the spurs on a pair of game cocks and attachingto both the respective legs thereof respective spur substitutes havingat least a protrusion portion of a switch means for effecting acontinuous circuit between a power source and an apprising means inresponse to contact with the body of an opponent; b. providing each cockwith respective power sources and apprising means; elEctrically seriallyconnecting said respective power sources and apprising means via aswitch means that effects electrical connection in response to contactof said protrusion means in said spur substitute means with the body ofsaid opponent; and c. scoring said respective cocks by registering therespective outputs from said respective apprising means such that anonfatal cock fight is effected.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein saidscoring is effected by a central scoring means that is responsive toeach respective apprising means.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein saidapprising means comprises transmitters of respective frequencies andsaid central scoring means has at least two receiving means that areresponsive to respective said transmitters such that the registration ofsaid outputs is effected by electromagnetic energy transmission.